Window cleaning device



Sept. 12, 1950 J. R. DEAN.

wmnow CLEANING DEVICE Filed 001:. 7, 1946 INVENTOR K ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 12, 1950 WINDOW {CLEANING DEVICE John E. Dean, Bufialo, NiYQ, assignor of one-half to "Clement H. Darby, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application October-"7, 1946, Serial No. 701,817 'Claims. (01. -134) 1" This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in devices or implements for cleaning windows and the like. i

One of its objects is to provide a device of-this character which is self-contained, embodying the water supply and cleaning or applicator element inone unit, which is convenient to use, and' which eliminates an excess use of water.

Another object of the invention-is to provide a self-contained window cleaning device which is so designed and constructed as to effectually control the flow of water to the applicator unit, and which is light, compact'and inexpensive in construction. p

Other features of-the invention reside in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

. In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a perspective viewof my window cleaning device, showing the same in use. Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section thereof. Figure 3 is a transverse horizontal section taken on line 3-3, Figure 2. Figure 4 is a-front end view of the device. Figure 5: is an enlarged fragmentary cross section taken on line 5- -5,- Figure 4.

Similar characters of reference indicate' the corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein is shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, Ill indicates the handle of the device-and II the cleaning or applicator head having a cleaning strip I2 or felt, sponge or like material at the free end thereof, the device being used in the manner shown in Figure l, and the handle and applicator head jointly constituting a reservoir l3 for the cleaning fluid, which may be water or the like. The handle and applicator head are hollow and are in open communication with each other to form the reservoir, the handle being tubular in form to provide a convenient hand grip and the applicator head being of substantially nozzle-like shape, as shown, and disposed generally at an obtuse angle to the handle. These parts, which form a self-contained cleaning unit, may be made of plastic or like material with the applicator head composed of two mating sections l4, l5 sealed along the joint line It and terminating at their inner ends in an attaching collar ll secured in fluidtight relation to the opposing end of the handle section. The diverging, mating faces of the applicator head have complementary tongue and recessed portions l8, l9, therein to facilitat the 2 proper and alined assembly of its companion sections.

The outer endof the tubular handle Ill is provided with a detachable cap 20 which is removed when charging the; device with water. Fitted in this cap is an air inlet control valve 2| which is normally held closed by a spring 22 to govern the flow of water from the device and which has a stem 23 projecting axially through the cap for depressing the valve to its open position by the; thumb of the user when it is desired to effect a normal flow of the Water through the applicator head.

The applicatorhead II is provided-at its front end with a transverse groove or recess 24 for detachably receiving the cleaning strip l2 and the bottom of this groove constitutes the bottom or outer wall of the reservoir l3. By preference, this bottom Wallis formed by an inwardly-extending ribor flange 25 provided on one of thehead-sections I 4, or [5 and abutting at its free end against the opposing face of the companion section, as shown in Figures 2 and 5. This flange is provided with a row of small discharge holes or ports 26 which function as capillary tubes for the capillary flow of ,the water for absorption by the cleaning strip. A baflle or bridge wall 21 extends transversely of the applicator head portion of this reservoir and in spaced relation to the flange 25, being formed on the lower head-section l5 and terminating at its opposite end short of the upper wall of the opposing top section I! to provide a gap or space 28 for the now of water from the main or body portion of the reservoir to the storage chamber 29, formed between the flange 25 and the bridge wall 21, when the implement is tipped to a substantially horizontal position. During the use of the device in the manner shown in Figure 1, this bridge wall serves to retain a small volume of water in the resulting storage chamber and the water therein is absorbed by the cleaning strip by capillary attraction.

By this construction, the flow of water to the cleaning strip is effectually controlled to prevent a surplus quantity of water being discharged from the reservoir and at the same time readily supply the storage chamber 29 with a charge of water by merely tipping the device from its normal, substantially upright operative position to a substantially horizontal position. During this charging operation the valve 2| is momentarily opened to admit air to the reservoir, while during other times the valve is held closed to prevent leakage of water therefrom.

iliary chamber in iiuid communication with the reservoir when the device is tipped in one position and in non-fluid communication when in an operative cleaning position, and an absorbent cleaning member fitted in the applicator portion to receive the fluid from said auxiliary chamber discharged through said capillary tubes."

2. A window cleaning device, comprising a hol low body including a handle portion and an ap-' plicator portion disposed obliquely thereto and jointly constituting a reservoir for a' cleaning fluid, the applicator portion having a bridge Wall therein mmgrrm the bottom side thereof to a point shortof its top side to divide the reservoir into communicating main and auxiliary chambersQs'aid chambers being in non-fluid comm-unication during operativeuse of the device and being in co mrm nication when tipped to a prede termined different position, and a cleaning member fitted in theouter end of said applioa-tor'pore f iq hthe latter including a perforated wall establishing a capillary feed to such cleaningmemher from the auxiliary chamber of the reservoir.

A window cleaning deviceifcomprisin a hol- 10w bodyincluding a handle portion'and an ap-f plicator portion extending obliquely from one-end thereof andjointly constituting a reservoir for a cleaning fluid, the outer end of said applicater' perccnhaving a transverse groove therein torec eive'acleaning member and the bottom wall'of such groove-having liquid feed-openings therein, and a bridge wall disposedtransverselywithin said body in spaced relation to the bottom wallof saidgroove to provide an auxiliary fluid receiving chamber in the reservoir, said bridge wall rising from the bottom side of the applicator portion and terminating at its upper end short of the opposing top side thereof to provide a spaceffor the flow of the fluid from the main'portion of the reservoir to such auxiliary chamber when-the device is tipped from a generally upright opera tive position to a substantially horizontal position. r

4. A window cleaning device, comprising a handle portion and an applicator portion jointly defining a reservoir for a cleaning fluid, a cleaning member applied to said applicator portion, the end of the latter including a perforated wall establishing a capillary feed to such cleaning member from the fluid in said reservoir, and a bridge wall extending flF ially across said reservoir and spaced, from the perforated iapplicator wall to provide a storage chamber from which the fluid is discharged by capillarity to the cleaning member in one position of the device and to which the fluid flows from the handle portion of the reservoir to recharge such chamber in another position of the device.

5. A window cleaning device, comprising a hollow bodycincluding a handle portion having a valved cap at one end and an applicator portion at its opposite end in open communication i with said handle portion to provide a reservoir for a cleaning fluid, said applicator portion having a transverse groove therein for receiving a cleaning member and the bottom of such groove constituting the bottom wall of the reservoir and having a plurality of capillary feed tubes therein, an absorbent cleaning member fitted in said applicator groove and abutting said feed tube containing wall, and a bridge wall extending partially across said reservoir and spaced from thefeed tube wall to provide a storage chamber from which the fluid is discharged by capillarity to the cleaning member in one position of the device and to which the fluid flows from thehandle portion of the reservoir to recharge such chamher in another position of the device.

JOHN R. DEAN,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name v Date a 287,254 Deeds Oct. 23, 1883 07,040" Heinz July 12, 1398 715,296 Rickey Dec. 9, l902 347,486 Mable Mar. 19, 1907 "1,535,304 Gerdin Apr. 28,1923

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 422,208 England Jan. 8, 1935 

